Joshua 13:3

from Sihor = "the Black Stream," the usual name of the Nile. Here probably it is "the river of Egypt," the Wady el Arish(1 Chronicles 13:5), the Rhinokolura or Rhinokorura. Wyclif, following the Vulg., "a fluvio turbido qui irrigat Ægyptum," renders it, "the trubli flood that weetith Egipt."

which is before Egypt The "brook of Egypt" flows actually before, i.e. in a N. E. direction from Egypt, while the Nile takes its course through the middle of that country.

unto the borders of Ekron The most northerly of the five towns belonging to the lords of the Philistines. The city of the fly-god Beelzebub. In the Apocrypha it appears as Accaron(1Ma 10:89).

which is counted to the Canaanite Or better, shall it be counted to the Canaanites. The western strip of country beginning at Sihor, and extending northward to Ekron, was to be regarded as Canaanitish, and so subject to conquest; although the Philistines were not Canaanites, but were sprung from Mizraim (Genesis 10:13) and had dispossessed the Canaanite Avites or Avim.

five lords A special word is here used, and the cities over which they held sway are enumerated as (i) Gaza; (ii) Ashdod; (iii) Ashkelon; (iv) Gath; (v) Ekron.

the Gazathites See above, Joshua 10:41; Joshua 11:22.

the Ashdothites See above, Joshua 11:22.

the Eshkalonites Or Ashkalonites of Ashkelon, which is mentioned nowhere else in the book of Joshua. Next to Gaza it was probably the most important city of the Philistines. Hither Samson repaired from Timnath (Judges 14:19); there David would not have the deaths of Saul and Jonathan proclaimed (2 Samuel 1:20), lest the daughters of the Philistines should rejoice. Like the other Philistine cities, it was threatened by the prophets with the Divine judgment (see Jeremiah 25:20; Jeremiah 47:5; Jeremiah 47:7; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:7; Zechariah 9:5). Near the town afterwards rose the celebrated temple of Derceto, the Syrian Venus. It played a conspicuous part in the struggles of the Crusades, and within the walls and towers now standing Richard I. held his court. See Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, sub voc.

the Gittites i.e. the people of Gath, the home of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4); connected with Ashkelon in David's lamentation (2 Samuel 1:20); conquered by David (1 Chronicles 18:1). See above, Joshua 11:22.

also the Avites Avim, or Avims. These people, a portion of the early inhabitants of Palestine, are mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:23 as dwelling in the villages in the southern part of the great western lowland as far as Gaza. Here they were attacked by the invading Philistines, who drove them northwards and occupied their rich possessions.